Book News, In Brief

Analysts predict that Amazon is approaching an e-book price hike. If the crystal balls are correct, the now normal $9.99 price tag is gonna be raised to $12.50 -- a.k.a. the price of your average trade paperback.


The New Yorker has a new entry for Stuff White People Like: Being able to break into the publishing industry because their rich parents will support them while they work as unpaid interns. While it's weird (and sorta hypocritical) that the publishing world's penchant for wealthy, White privilege is being taken to task in one of the world's wealthiest, Whitest magazines, at least it's finally being taken to task.


You know that expression, 'Those who can't do, teach'? That sh*t must be a yoga mantra in the Hollywood hills. First there's TV starlet Jennifer Love Hewitt. Less than a year after calling off her engagement to Scottish actor, Ross McCall, Hewitt is writing a dating advice book. Then there's 2007's Dad of the Year, Alec Baldwin. Less than two years after he attained internet infamy by repeatedly calling his 11 year old daughter a pig, Baldwin is publishing a parenting book. What's next, a Michael Bay book on subtlety? A Bret Michaels book on dignity?


The first part is cliche, the second part, a miracle: A mom in NC bought her kids some used comic books at their local library fundraiser. One of the books, Batman Confidential #18, contained a scene involving Batgirl and Catwoman wrestling naked (save their masks!) in "Gotham City's Hedonist Society." Okay, so that's pretty much par for the course, right? But here's where it gets good. Instead of calling the police or her priest or -- heaven forbid -- FOX News, mom called the library and asked them to screen the books they're selling to kids a little more carefully. Yes, you read that right. There was no book burning, no grandstanding, and no lawsuit seeking mental damages. There was just a reasonable response from a rightfully concerned parent. Like I said, a miracle.
(Thanks to Journalista! for the tip.)

Go, Look: Alltop News

This is an all points bulletin to all our fellow news fiends: Check out Alltop.com. It's a not-so-new news feed aggregator which actually breaks the headlines/blog posts/newspaper articles down into themed sub-sections for you. Of particular note to Inkwell Irregulars will be Alltop's Book News page and Writing News page...and judging from the wtf spelling in our comments section, their Wine News page.

Adaptation News(for those of you who just like to watch)

My gift to you: The trailer for The Pacific, HBO's East Coast follow-up to the jaw-droppingly great WW2 mini-series, Band of Brothers. As the new series doesn't air until 2010, you have more than enough time to check out the books that inspired it: With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge and Hamlet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie.

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt's gift to you: A 23 minute film version of Elmore Leonard's short story, Sparks. The film stars the voluptuously bodied, cupie doll-faced, Carla Gugino. Here's a bit of trivia for the trainspotters out there: Gordon-Levitt recently starred in the full-length Leonard adaptation, Killshot, while Gugino did an entire TV season as Out of Sight's female protagonist, Karen Sisco. That's pedigree, y'all! Sparks' teensy, tiny trailer can be viewed here.

Tuesday's Tips for Flailing Writers

1. No more internet until you've finished your homework!
In 'Research Part 1', ComicRelated.com stresses the importance -- nay, the necessity -- of relentless research. An excerpt:
What does a story that hasn't been researched look like? Generally, it'll take place in a generic world that seems vaguely familiar to two or three settings from popular movies or books you've read. The characters will seem shallow and inconsistent, and as a reader, you just won't care about them, no matter how cool the situations they find themselves in. And not doing your research makes it hard on the writer, too. You might get off to a blazing start, but somewhere in the middle, find yourself stuck in a poorly conceived plot point. Chances that you'll abandon the project are very high. This all could have been avoided if you'd have done the work up front.
Click here to read.


2. It's at least somewhat about the Benjamins.
Valerie D'Orazio has a funny piece up on Comixology titled, 'You Have to Get Paid: Lessons in Freelancing'. My favorite of her many 'Freelancer Mistakes'? Number two: "We are all just friends here working towards something awesome." An excerpt:
In my case, the client and I shared certain hippy-dippy viewpoints on life like "going with the flow" and "universal awakening for the betterment of mankind." Screw contracts: did the ENERGY feel right? Whenever I talked payment with this client, the energy was decidedly "low." Because it's materialism, man. There are things more important than money. It will all sort itself out by the wisdom of the planet. I honestly believed that anyone that enlightened couldn't possibly back out of payment – why bring the vibe down by talking dollars and cents? Which, I realize, put me in the John Locke incredibly gullible category. At least I didn't donate a kidney.
Click here to read.


3. Location, location, location hypnosis.
This last article, 'Location is Key in Novels, Neighborhoods', comes courtesy of Julia Keller and the LATimes. It's about the semi-hypnotic trick of using recognizable place names to better engage your readers. It's a neat idea and a well-written article, but I really just wanted to share this totally-creepy-yet-I-think-I'm-gonna-try-this-is-in-the-bookstore sales technique that Keller uses to open the piece:
Salesmen have a trick. It's a well-known trick, but even though you know it's coming, it really works: They use your name over and over again in their spiel. Hearing your name operates as a sort of verbal aphrodisiac. Ever seen a cat's reaction when a soft-fingered person slides an index finger across that continental divide that runs down the feline back? The closing of the eyes, the satisfied purr, the blissed-out arch of the spine? Hearing your name repeated ("I'm just sure, Julia, that you're going to love our new Super-Deluxe vacuum, because, Julia, a person with your taste and sophistication, Julia, would settle for nothing less, don't you agree, Julia?") Come to think of it, I'll take three.
Click here to read.

Recommended Viewing: Japan's 'Text' Books

While you're wasting time Tweeting about about your cat, inspired and industrious Japanese women are two-finger typing entire novels on their cell phones. In this three minute piece, CBS News chronicles the (undoubtedly exaggerated) trend.

The Monday Menagerie: Anti-Censorship Art

I'm not naive. I know that anti-censorship art is only ever appreciated by an anti-censorship audience, and that highlighting it on a bookstore blog is a classic case of 'preaching to the converted.' After all, the fears and beliefs of the pro-censorship crowd are far too complicated and heartfelt to ever be swayed by a cheeky piece of pop art, no matter how eye-catching it is. Think about it. Have you ever seen a big, black bar placed over a pair of boobs in such a way that caused you to think, 'Hmn, maybe I've been wrong. Maybe the naked human figure should be shrouded in secrecy and shame.'? Hells no. Still, the pro-censorship crowd gets velvet paintings of The Last Supper. It's only fair that we get these.

This is a button we used to sell in our store. They were so popular, we went through a small basket of them in less than a month. It wasn't until we were preparing the re-order that we realized they weren't actually selling. They were being stolen. To quote Inkwell Michelle, "Free speech isn't free, people!"

Here's the cover to Shahriar Mandanipour's recently released, Censoring An Iranian Love Story. The art was done by a fella named Peter Mendelsund (who also did the covers to Vertical's re-issues of the Black Jack books -- reviewed here). Although sales have been slim for this book in our store, the cover gets remarked upon by almost everyone who picks it up. Via.

I give full credit to opionaid for finding this Polish poster from Amnesty International. The first time I saw it on their site, I thought, 'What a brilliant blending of art and application!' Six months later, I'm still just as impressed. Duct tape truly is the ninth art.

eMediaWire reports, "R. Lloyd Ming's sculpture, made for his current solo art show, is called 'True Enlightenment Deferred'. It is a Buddha statue meditating in front of neon Playboy Bunny logo and it is meant to be a commentary on the censorship in China, particularly the censorship of pornography." Mark my words: Some savvy publisher is gonna snap this up for a book cover -- soon. When they do, I expect some sort of shout-out in the 'Acknowledgments' section. Or a t-shirt.

Book News, In Brief

On a controversy-courting scale ranging from 'Lady Gaga music video' to 'FOX News pundit discussing affirmative action,' I'd rank The Guardian UK's recent blog post, Can Women Write About Sex?, smack dab in the middle.


Entertainment Weekly gets all catty as they chart The 14 Worst Celebrity Memoir Titles. While I agree with their inclusion of Roger Moore's pretentious pun, My Word Is Bond, I think that RuPual's Lettin It All Hang Out is actually pretty funny. And true.


Speaking of catty, what sort of cantankerous a**hole complains about the curating at The Anne Frank Museum? Me! In a move that can only be accompanied by an exaggerated, "Finally!" the Netherlands' Anne Frank House Museum has -- at long last -- decided to permanently display Frank's actual diary. Quick question: What, if not the diary, have they been charging tourists to look at all this time?


J.D. Salinger is in need of a li'l positive PR. Earlier this month, the agoraphobic author found himself in the unpopular position of trying to copyright his character,* Holden Caulfield. Then, this past weekend, The NYTimes ran an article claiming that today's young readers find the Catcher In The Rye protagonist to be a preppy b*tch. Can't a brother catch a break?
*In the age of anti-DRM and pro-re-mixing, no less! WWCDD? What would Cory Doctorow do?

Cuz Friday Night is Date Night*:Hot, Sexy Book News

Dim-witted dreamboat Robert Pattinson nearly negated Hollywood's hottest film series* yesterday when he was struck mid-saunter by a New York City taxi cab. It's not clear yet whether it was a host of heavenly angels or a group of screaming girls or Pattinson's own tight, steely buns that kept the Twilight star from enduring any serious injuries, but know this: The Eclipse adaptation is still a go.
*Not starring transforming robots, boy wizards, Spider-Men, Police Academys, or tin-plated billionaire playboys.


An adult bookstore in Akron, OH burned to the ground last night. While local zealots blame it on an act of God, and police will no doubt suspect an inside job, the fact that the five customers in the store at the time of the fire say they first "smelled, like, plastic burning," makes me think it was a faulty dildo a spontaneously combusting, self-stimulating massage device something else.*
*Note to whichever governmental group is in charge of such things: You see? This is what happens when you go overboard with your asbestos regulations.


When poet John Siddique asked Guardian UK readers to send him poems describing "their secret worlds of the night," I'd assumed he was a hard-up perv too stingy to buy his own porn. Then I read the submissions he chose for re-print, and thought, 'Oh, I get it. Dude's an insomniac and needs some help falling asleep.' Then I remembered that poetry is an art form chock full o' metaphor, and...yep...with a little imagination, you can make 'em all about sex.*
*All except the third poem, which is about taking out the trash. No, wait -- I just thought of the adult angle on that one, too.


*Well, it's date night for some of you. For the rest or us, it's a Twilight dvd, a rubbish bin, and a faulty dildo a spontaneously combustible, self-stimulating massage device something else.

Cool Covers from Recent Releases

The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter by Jason Kersten.
Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod.















At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream: Misadventures in Search of the Simple Life by Wade Rouse.
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris.

Book News, In Brief

Shared Worlds recently picked their Top 5 Real Fantasy/Sci-Fi Cities. Unsurprisingly, Falmouth wasn't on the list. Truth be told, we're more of a generic, YA memoir town.
Last minute attempt at starting a dialog: In the comments section, tell us the name of your town and what literary genre it would best fit into.


The aptly named 'Audiobook' app unseated Amazon's ramblingly titled 'Kindle For iPhone Reader' app as iTunes #1 selling application. Still, it's not just Bezos who should be worried. 'Audiobook' threatens the livelihoods of school librarians, doting grandparents, and seeing eye dogs with robot voices and 5th grade reading levels.


Remember last week when we told you about Schwarzenegger's plans to fill California's public schools with e-textbooks? Well, according to PW, "Textbook giant Pearson has responded with digital content to supplement California’s programs in biology, chemistry, algebra 2, and geometry." Or, to put it another way: Skynet has merged the Terminator with the Kindergarten Cop.

Coming Soon: Limited Edition, Pigskin-Covered Copies of Charlotte's Web

Okay, so that's not true, but there is a monster fur-covered copy of Dave Eggers' The Wild Things being released in October, and that's sorta similar. The book, a 300 page kids' novel "based loosely on the storybook by Maurice Sendak and the screenplay co-written with Spike Jonze," will also be available in a PETA-approved cardboard and cardstock cover.

Via here and here.

Book News, In Brief

Bezos may be a b*tch, but he's no dummy. The Motley Fool has an intriguing article detailing Amazon's 'Divides to Conquer' e-book sales strategy.


Well, you can bet your bottom dollar that the conservative-leaning Amazon won't be able to compete with this idea: Tor Launches Publisher Agnostic Online Store. Skeptics will find the shop well-stocked with science titles, art texts, science fiction and fantasy novels.


The Ellwood City Ledger reports that the current economic crises has increased library usage to numbers never before seen. Of course, this "usage" is actually just job-hunters camped out in the computer areas, but hey -- maybe they'll take a chance on one of those book-thingies while they're there.


Penguin has launched three new sites -- one audio, one video, and one print -- to help promote those books and authors that they feel are being ignored by the mainstream media. While I usually try and cap these news bits off with some sorta wise-ass aside, I've gotta say, this actually impresses the hell out of me.


This is the sort of criminal mastermind that makes me appreciate the inept shoplifters we catch in our shop. Earth Times reports, "A Taiwan bookstore is trying to catch a book thief who not only steals books, but also leaves cards in the store's books with tips on how to steal books." This reminds me of the ancient Tiawanese proverb that says, "Steal me a book, I'll read today. Teach me how to steal a book, I'll read for a lifetime."

Cool Covers from Upcoming Comics

Lockjaw and the Pet Avenvers #2
Cover by Niko Henrichon
Runaways: Teenage Wasteland Vol. 2
Art by Jo Chen
















Creepy #1
Art by Eric Powell
Uptight #3
Art by Jordan Crane











Punisher: Frank Castle Max - Six Hours To Kill
Art by Michel Lacombe
Dark Reign: Sinister Spider Man#2
Art by Chris Bachalo

Comic Book Review:Runaways Vol. 3 #10

This is a comic with scope. Not epic, trans-continental, War & Peace-y scope, but emotional scope. It goes from funny to sad and back to funny again in less than two dozen pages, and there's not a single false note or misstep along the way.

The story itself is simple. Eight year old Molly Hayes (a.k.a. Princess Powerful, although she's the only one who refers to herself this way) is taking a tour of Xavier's new School for Gifted Youngsters, and she's been assigned Wolverine as her tour guide. While this sort of 'comedy of opposites' set-up usually begins to feel monotonous after the second gag, writer Chris Yost keeps things interesting by allowing some melancholy to seep into the story. For those who don't know, the premise of the Runaways series is that a group of super-powered kids found out that their parents were one of the world's most diabolical groups of super-villains, and decided to try and stop them. This went far less smoothly than the kids would've liked, resulting in the deaths of all their parents. So now they're on the run from, well, pretty much everyone, as the good guys think they're murderers, and the bad guys want revenge for the stuff their parents once did. But while the older Runaways have come to terms with their parents' evil alter egos, young Molly is having a much harder time accepting the dichotomy of loving parents who were also cold-blooded murderers. It's this made-for-metaphor conundrum that gives the issue its emotional resonance, making it succeed as both an Abbot & Costello-style comedy and an I-can't-believe-I'm getting-choked-up-by-Wolverine's-dialogue character piece. As for Sara Pichelli's art, it's spot-on: clean, cartoony, and easy to navigate. Not only that, but Pichelli possesses that seemingly rare ability to draw kids that actually look like kids, and not like adults with bigger heads and (marginally) smaller breasts.

I'd give this issue of Runaways to any young girl on the fence about superhero comics, as well as any older, ex-comics fan who grew tired of comics' grim and gritty cliches. I mean, hell, who doesn't want to see the X-Men's Danger Room used to create a unicorn and butterflies?

Note: Runaways vol. 3 #10 is a self-contained, stand-alone story. That means you get the complete story -- beginning, middle and end -- in this one issue. Not only that, but there's a bonus, 11 page back-up story, too. Hmn...if I didn't know better, I'd almost think Marvel was courting new readers.

Book News, In Brief

Jeff Bezos has finally found someone that he can call a bully. Bookseller.com claims the male Amazonian as been b*tching about the Google Books settlement, and is asking that the agreement "be revisited."


Why, if the internet has been buzzing for weeks about the photos of actor James Franco portraying Beat poet Alan Ginsberg, am I only linking to them now? Because I didn't care was waiting for a headline like this: James Franco Beats Off. Bless you, New York Press.


Then again, once you start looking for faux pornographic headlines, you begin to see them everywhere. Take The Guardian UK's recent blog post, Poets Reveal the Strangest Places They've 'Done It.' It's actual topic? Poets listing the oddest spots they've been moved by the muse.


Misery (indie bookstores) loves company (comic book shops): ICV2 reports, "Comic sales dropped a staggering 19% in May versus May 2008, while graphic novel sales declined by 13%, leading to an overall drop-off for the month of 18%." If y'all wanna start some sort of suicide/euthanasia pact, drop us an email.

Comic Book Quote of the Day

"This (is) the last literary frontier where a straight white male can do an autobiography and still be looked on as avant-garde."
Glenn Haumann of ComicMix, via The Occasional Superheroine.

Tuesday's Tips for Flailing Writers

Why are you even messing with my amateur ass? Click here to read master crime novelist Elmore Leonard's thoughts on craft and process.


Once you've been turned down by all of the major and minor publishing houses, should you shelve your novel and start a new one, or send out queries to the micro publishers? The Rejecter weighs in.


Remember last week when Robot 6 told you to hook the reader in the first eight pages? Well, that's was only the beginning (literally!). Now you've gotta try and keep them hooked, chapter after ever-loving chapter. How do you do this? Cliffhangers.


Agoraphobic authors beware! Chasing Ray has an interesting bit about online companies offering to set up 'blog book tours'. Among the many, many suspicious aspects of these services are the high price tag (anywhere from $500-$600) and the fact that the blogs involved get none of it. (Well, that last one bothers me, anyway.)


Last Minute Bonus Link! Ah, here's a problem we all wish we had: James A. Moore shares how he handles an editor's negative notes.

Book News, In Brief

I'm only surprised that this hadn't happened already: iPhone offers a CliffsNotes app. In related news, SpellCheck now offers both 'app' and 'ass' as possible replacements for Attention Deficit Disorder abbreviation, 'ADD.'


Media manufactured trend alert! The NYTimes has announced a new "literary ritual": Folks having their Kindles signed at author events. This joins 'holding up cell phones in lieu of lighters' as future Wikipedia definitions for 'douchebaggery.'


To quote Sly & The Family Stone, 'It's a family affair': Obama's half-brother joins Obama's half-sister, Obama's sister-in-law, Obama's mother, and Obama's dog in getting a book deal. (Note to publishers: My uncle tells me that I'm related to our 44th President. No pressure. Just sayin'.)


Here's a great idea (that I hope our local libraries don't catch wind of): Public libraries with used bookshops inside of them. Not only do they make a small return on last year's Oprah book club picks, but all those crappy books you and I dropped off anonymously because no other bookstore would buy them from us? Pure profit.